URGENT: Need Calls to Stop Barron!

May 21, 2014

Update: Cloture was invoked on the judicial nomination of David Barron today, but the vote was tight – only 52 senators voted to close debate. All Republicans voted no, as did Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Mary Landrieu.

Barron can still be stopped on the final confirmation vote. We urge you to contact the following senators and demand that they vote no on Barron:

Update: Even though liberals and conservatives have expressed concerns about his record, Senator Harry Reid has filed for cloture on David Barron’s nomination. Senator Rand Paul plans to filibuster the nomination, but he needs the support of a majority of senators voting against cloture.

We are hearing that Reid may not have the votes right now, but we need to keep the pressure on to make sure he doesn’t get them. Call your senators, focusing on the following:

Part of President Obama’s mission to “fundamentally transform” America involves packing the federal judiciary with fellow liberals who use their power to legislate from the bench. Court appointments will prove to be among the most destructive parts of the Obama legacy, as he continually nominates radical liberal judges who will be deciding cases for decades after he leaves office.

A perfect example of what President Obama wants to achieve is his selection of David Barron for the U.S. Circuit Court for the First Circuit. Barron is a Harvard Law professor who strongly advocates judicial activism on behalf of liberal causes. Embracing the progressive view of the Constitution as a “dynamic document,” Barron expresses contempt for the idea that a judge’s decisions should be restrained by the Constitution and laws as written.

Barron celebrates judicial activism for promoting abortion and gay marriage, even as he admits its costs: “Unfortunately, clarity, candor, and activism cannot co-exist without raising serious democratic objections . . . Thus, given the costs of foregoing activism, candor and clarity seem a preferable choice for sacrifice.” Barron cannot be entrusted with a seat on the bench if we aspire to be a nation of laws and not of men.

Barron’s work in the Obama administration’s Office of Legal Counsel also raises serious concerns. He aggressively criticized President Bush’s assertions of executive authority in the War on Terror, but as a Justice Department lawyer, Barron provided legal justification for the unprecedented targeted killing of American citizens by drone strike. This expansion of government authority is troubling, especially in light of Barron’s hypocrisy about which president calls the shots.

Because of Harry Reid’s nuclear option, judicial and presidential nominations now only require a majority vote. We were very successful before this egregious usurpation of power in stopping some of the President’s most radical nominations, but once the rules were changed, those individuals were immediately confirmed. David Barron’s radical views, however, could yet prove too much for the Senate.

Take Action!

Call and email your U.S. Senators today and ask them to vote NO on cloture and confirmation for David Barron.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Please Vote NO on Barron!

I urge you to reject the nomination of David Barron to the U.S. Circuit Court for the First Circuit. Barron’s extreme views on the law make him unfit for the federal bench.

Although the Constitution and our laws should inform judicial decisions, Barron elevates his personal political beliefs. Furthermore, Barron wrote legal opinions for the Obama administration justifying drone strikes targeting American citizens abroad, a troubling expansion of the government’s legal authority.

Because of David Barron’s troubling record, please vote no on ALL votes related to his confirmation.